


you're the only motherfucker in this city who can handle me

by girlsonthetv



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Burgers - Freeform, First Kiss, Love Confessions, M/M, akira is a force of nature
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 12:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13146615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlsonthetv/pseuds/girlsonthetv
Summary: [i have lost a hero / i have lost a friend / but for you, darling / i'd do it all again]Ryuji and Akira have a heart-to-heart the night before Akira is due to leave.written for ash (@AnActualOwl on twitter, makes amazing art) for a secret santa





	you're the only motherfucker in this city who can handle me

**Author's Note:**

> this can be considered a prequel to my other pegoryu but it's also standalone

They had snuck up to the roof of Shujin Academy the night before Akira was due to leave, giggling and shushing each other, their steps echoing like thunderclaps against the floor. It would hardly be professional Phantom Thief behavior if this were a heist. They were just teenagers getting into trouble, now.

Ryuji remembers their first few meetings on this roof, just Ann and him and the beautiful new transfer with his weird cat, not even an organization with a name yet, just young people carving out justice in a cesspool of evil. Akira leans his head on Ryuji’s shoulder, smiling as they took in the view. It hasn’t changed a bit since those early meetings, despite how it was practically a new city now.

Ryuji thought back to the fireworks festival that got rained out and thought of fireworks, how beautiful and loud and ephemeral they were. Like Akira. He was beautiful, he was loud, and he was going to leave so soon after he had arrived. The months had fallen away like minutes, and it made Ryuji’s throat ache with sadness.

“I’m gonna miss this place.” Akira says, breaking the comfortable silence. His breath is visible in the bitter cold winter air. As usual, everything goes quiet when Akira speaks. The ambient noises of the city, cars and people and screens all screaming to be heard fade away, leaving only him. Ryuji once again felt so lucky he could die to be the focus of his attention, his right-hand man, his best friend.

“Really?” Ryuji snorts. “This place is a shitshow.”

“Oh, it absolutely is.” Akira says playfully. “But it’s our shitshow. I made a lot of good memories here.” Akira gives him a significant look, and Ryuji feels like the world is about to drop out from under him. “Especially with you.”

Ryuji exhales sharply. “Yeah, I’m glad the track guys are okay.”

“Not just them. I remember the first time I ever talked to you, clear as day. Kawakami all but told you to beat it, but making sure I felt welcome was more important to you.” Akira is looking him in the eyes and it’s like looking at a hurricane. Akira is nearly always impossible to read, but when he deliberately pulls back the curtains on his soul it’s the most beautiful sight Ryuji’s ever seen. “You’re so incredibly good, Ryuji. You’re such a good person that I’m in awe of it every day.”

“Even when I do stupid shit?” Ryuji’s voice is barely audible. Akira is so close and they’re so high up, he’s feeling something like vertigo.

“Especially when you do stupid shit.” Akira loops his arms about Ryuji’s neck the way a girl might, and Ryuji’s having a difficult time forming coherent thoughts. Who needs those, anyway, he thinks as Akira leans in to kiss him.

When Akira acts on impulses, he’s usually one-hundred percent confident in the decisions, but this first kiss is tentative, a hesitant brush of chapped lips. It’s still mind-blowing, because it’s Akira, and Ryuji is a simple man. “It’s kind of ridiculous the amount of girls I met here with feelings for me.” Akira says, laughing softly. “But for me, it was always you, Ryuji. Always you.” He brushes an eyelash off Ryuji’s cheek and looks at him like he hung the gleaming diamond stars just for them.

“Me too.” Ryuji says, and he’s shocked by how true it is. He never thought they would be heroes when he introduced himself to Akira. He just saw his eyes like flint and felt himself be set aflame by the sparks. He needed to know him, because he had never felt more seen than when Akira’s eyes landed on him.

Now Akira is leaving and Ryuji wants to cry at how unfair it is. The love of his life, leaving the minute Ryuji figured out his feelings for him. He feels the tears well up and chokes them back; he’s obviously just overtired, it’s so late. He pulls Akira into a tight hug, their bodies fitting together like they were a marble statue, carved that way, together always. They stay like that for a while.

“You wanna grab a burger?” Akira asks. “I’m starving.”

Ryuji nods. It’s too early for burgers, but he wants to stay with Akira a little longer, if only for however long it takes to order two burgers with sodas and fries.

“We’ll keep in touch, don’t worry.” Akira says with that grin that still gives Ryuji goosebumps. “I’m not the type to love you and leave you.”

Ryuji chuckles. “You better.” He feels like he’s walking on air when Akira says ‘love you.’

/

“It’s four am, I should go home.” Akira says as they stand beside their table, having finished their food. Ryuji agrees - he doesn’t want his mother to wake up for work and worry about him.

They kiss one more time before they go their separate ways. It’s sweet and salty and more delicious than the fast food could ever dream to be.


End file.
